Shrill

Notes From A Loud Woman

Hailed by Lena Dunham as an "essential (and hilarious) voice for women," Lindy West is ferociously witty and outspoken, tackling topics as varied as pop culture, social justice and body image. Her empowering work has garnered a coast-to-coast audience that eagerly awaits Shrill. It is comprised of a series of essays that bravely shares her life, including her transition from quiet to feminist-out-loud, coming of age in a popular culture that is hostile to women (especially fat, funny women) and how keeping quiet is not an option for any of us.

The second half of the book is better than the first--it brings West's spirited defense of women as comedians and the right to be flamboyantly present online into sharp, often funny focus as she grows increasingly comfortable in her voice and skills as a writer. Most poignant is a vicious troll who amazingly has the guts to meet her in-person and explain why he targeted her (impersonating her dead father). The first half of the book is, IMO, an overly long description of her acceptance of being overweight, learning to enjoy healthy sex/relationships, and her dislike of monthly periods.

Lindy West is a writer who covers feminism, social justice, and humor in print and on the Internet. She's been a staff writer for alternative newspapers and a contributing columnist or editor for venues ranging from MSNBC to the New York Times. Her first book details her often painful journey from an extremely shy child to a loud woman with big opinions who battles the media portrayal of women's bodies, the "rape joke" culture of male stand-up comedians, and Internet trolls. The climactic chapter, Slaying the Troll, details West's experience of confronting the troll who impersonated her dead father in person. Her humorous approach to life embodies the quote "Sometimes you gotta laugh through the tears, smile through the pain so you can live through the sorrow." A provocative read from a voice of the Millennial generation.

Lindy West is a highly talented writer. I've thought so since her Jezebel days, even if I didn't always agree with what she was saying. Shrill is generally well written, however most of the subject matter didn't resonate with me (internet trolls, body image) and most of the book came off as too rant-y.

On the topics of fat-shaming, women's rights and the anything goes world of the internet, West elucidates her points with humor. Her compassion for humankind, even the mean ones, is catching. Reading "Shrill" is an enjoyable exercise in walking in someone else's shoes.

A must-read for anyone who has ever laughed on the outside, while crying on the inside. Even more so, it’s a must-read for anyone who has ever laughed on the outside while sitting next to someone who’s crying on the inside.

“As a woman, my body is scrutinized, policed, and treated as a public commodity. As a fat woman, my body is also lampooned, openly reviled, and associated with moral and intellectual failure."
I'm not sure what wave of feminism we're in (fourth), but we are in the midst of a cornucopia of feminist books, including "We Were Feminists Once," "Bad Feminist," "Sex Object," and Gloria Steinem's memoir. Lindy West started off at Seattle's "Stranger" and her new book, like these others, is a mix of the political and the personal. Aside from feminist issues, she focuses on body issues and self-identifies as a large woman. In one of the most humorous essays, she identifies positive fat female role models from movies she watched as a kid, which mostly includes Disney cartoon characters and a Muppet. She has a unique perspective and a strong voice (Hence the title) that, while opinionated, is also funny and nuanced. She tackles rape jokes, body shaming, the masculine atmosphere of many comedy clubs, and, perhaps most famously, Internet trolls, of which there are legion.

Quotes

"I sometimes think of people's personalities as the negative space around their insecurities...We construct elaborate palaces to hide our vulnerabilities, often growing into caricatures of what we fear."